In this, the fifth volume in her Queens of England series of novels, the author, also known as Victoria Holt to her legion of fans, tackles the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine, a woman who led an incomparable life. Born in an age when women tended to be submissive and docile, Eleanor was anything but. She was an outspoken, well educated, independent, and beautiful woman. Hers is a story that, in the hands this author, an accomplished storyteller, captivates the reader.

Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine, became Queen of France when she entered into a marriage of state with Louis VII of France, a somewhat weak and ineffectual, though pious, young ruler. Theirs was not a passionate affair of the heart but, rather, a mesalliance that would come to a somewhat abrupt end, when she met Henry II, the first Plantagenet King of England. Though she was eleven years his senior, theirs was to be a tempestuous and passionate love-hate relationship that would end in marriage and span a lifetime. She would give birth to their numerous sons and daughters, two of whom would go on to reign over England, Richard the Lionhearted and John Lackland.

Narrated in the first person, as are all the books in this Queens of England series, Eleanor tells the reader of her adventurous and exciting life, set against a backdrop of medieval politics, intrigues, and strife. A woman who brooked little interference in her life, she decribes what it was like to have experienced and gone on a crusade. She tells of her long years as prisoner of her philandering husband, Henry II. She relates the triumphs and disappointments of her long and singular life. In doing so, she weaves a memorable tapestry of love, passion, betrayal, and heartbreak. It is an account that will keep the reader turning the pages of this unforgettable, though somewhat romanticized, account of a life lived to the fullest.

I've read many of Jean Plaidy's books under all her names. By far, Elenor of Aquataine is the most amazing (after Elizabeth I of course) of England's Queens. This story, written as if by Elenor herself, is truly fascinating. Elenor was first the Duchess of Aquataine, who then became queen of France, divorced, and then became Queen of England by marrying HenryII. On top all that, she was the mother of Richard the Lionheart AND Bad King John.Her story is so amazing, it's difficult to believe that she was an actual person. A few years ago, while travelling in England, I visited Dover Castle, one of the castles that Henry imprisioned her in in her later years. As I walked the un-altered passage ways of the castle keep, I remembered her story from this book, and thought, "I'm walking the same corridors that Queen Elenor walked". Reading Jean Plaidy's historical fiction is a great way to learn about history. You feel like you are truly in the head of historical figures.